Appalachian Farm Arts Heritage Foundation

About Appalachian Farm Arts Heritage Foundation

Our Story

Appalachian Farm Arts Heritage Foundation was born of countless conversations about the desire to share our Appalachian culture of self-sufficiency. The Foundation supports teaching and learning endeavors to share our rich heritage of farm and folk arts that culminate in responsible resource management, resiliency, and sustainability.
The Foundation supports a growing co-op of members who are both teachers and learners as we build a community of practice.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND DEFINITION

APPALACHIA(N) -(Appa-latch-uh) is made up of 423 counties across 13 states and spans 206,000 square miles, from southern New York to northern Mississippi. It is a geographic and CULTURAL region.
FARM (and folk) ARTS-cultural traditions that reflect the culture's values and traditions.
HERITAGE-The legacy of people, culture, and environments inherited from the past.
FOUNDATION-A non-profit organization that supports an educational cause.

Guiding Principles

Collective Self-Sufficiency; even though collective and self may not seem to go together, when we build a community of individuals with a mindset of self-sufficiency we create a collective effort through our support of one another.
Inclusion; The foundation is dedicated to inclusion and will actively support this value in words and practice.
Building Communities of Practice; through workshops and teaching/learning activities the Foundation will facilitate the acquisition of knowledge through experiential learning opportunities.

Our Service Area and How We Grow

Foundation Farm

The Foundation Farm is located on 36.6 acres in Mosheim, TN in western Greene County. While some activities such as, Nature Immersion Therapy, Digital Detox, and Day Camps take place at the Foundation Farm, most of our classes and workshops are MOBILE! This means that no matter where you live, we can build workshop opportunities in your county. The Foundation will source local goods, locations, and instructors to bring workshops to any county in the central Appalachian region.

County Ambassadors

To bring Appalachian Farm Arts Heritage Foundation workshops to your county we need County Ambassadors. County Ambassadors will help us to source local supplies and locations for workshops, build momentum in your county for participation in workshops, and help to locally promote scheduled workshops. Like Membership, being a County Ambassador has some perks; free attendance at any workshop you organize and of course our appreciation through some Foundation swag. It is also a great way to support your county through connections and awareness of locally sourced resources.

Community Engagement

We believe that community engagement is key to building strong, resilient individuals, partnership, and communities. We organize and sponsor a variety of events and activities that bring people together and promote a sense of belonging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at Erika@Appalachian-Farm-Arts-Heritage-Foundation.org or AppyFarmFoundation@gmail.com if you have additional questions, suggestions, ideas for classes or if you would like to teach a class.

What types of classes does Appalachian Farm Arts Heritage Foundation offer?

We are always looking for new classes and teachers. All classes and programs will have some foundation in collective self-sufficiency. Our current board of directors expertise leans toward farms and foods. As such, our offerings are based in farm and folk arts such as canning and preserving, gardening, small livestock, etc. We want to grow these offerings by sourcing local experts in multiple counties across Appalachia. See our ongoing selection on the Workshops and Programs page. If you know an expert please share our contact information with them.

How much does a class cost?

Cost per classes vary based on the cost to source supplies for the class and any cost associated with securing a teaching site. We anticipate that most classes will be less than $20 per person. We will ALWAYS strive to keep cost minimal. As a Non-Profit organization our goal is to provide an educational and community service. It is not to make a profit. Our structure is to share cost classes so that each participant will pay a share of the cost to conduct the class. As the Foundation financial base grows, less of the cost will be passed to participants. We also have pay-it-forward options and membership options that may reduce your cost. Membership comes with 10 free classes per year (see memberships for more information). Pay-it -forward options for classes are "teach a class / take a class". If you are willing to teach a class at no cost to the Foundation you can take a class at no cost.

How do I become a member?

Annual Membership provides a main source of revenue for the Foundation to operate. Currently, annual memberships are $100. You do not need to be a member to take or teach a class. Memberships are renewable annually on Oct. 1. If you prepay your membership for 2025, your membership will be good until Oct. 1, 2026. See the membership page for full details or email AppyFarmFoundation@gmail.com to arrange a membership.

Can I attend a class if I'm not a member of Appalachian Farm Arts Heritage Foundation?

Yes! Classes are open to ALL people regardless of age, gender, cultural identity, level of experience.....we want to build a community of teachers and learners that practice self sufficiency. Classes will become available in multiple communities as our resource base grows. Membership is always optional and comes with some pretty good perks, but it is never required for participation.

How often do classes meet?

Our calendar of classes and programs are currently in development. We anticipate launching a full schedule by October 1, 2025. We are always looking for teachers and skill sets to teach. Once classes and programs are built we will begin to publish a calendar with registration capabilities. Classes will take place in multiple communities so please share our information with others. As a need develops we have the ability to take classes wherever they are wanted.

What is the minimum age requirement?

Children ages 8 and up are invited to join our workshops, provided they are accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. These sessions offer a wonderful opportunity for young minds to explore and engage with the joys of Farm Arts. While there may be certain activities, such as using the pressure canner, that are restricted for safety reasons, we’re thrilled to provide an inclusive environment where children can observe, learn, and participate in many hands-on experiences. We are passionate about nurturing curiosity and fostering a lifelong love for the arts, sustainability, and the farm-to-table lifestyle among the next generation!